Dipstick and engine crankcase breather

ABSTRACT

A combination dipstick and engine crankcase breather adapted to be engaged in the entrance passageway to the crankcase of an internal combustion engine and having a blade portion dipping into the liquid reservoir of the crankcase, structure comprising a pluglike assembly which includes an O-ring seal for the entrance, an annular cap adapted to engage over the outside of the entrance, a conduit extending from below the cap and having communication with the passageway and through the cap, the conduit having means for connection of a pipe between it and the air cleaner of the engine, and the cap being sealed to the conduit, communication between the interior of the passageway to the conduit while the dipstick and breather are in position so that all emissions from the crankcase will pass into the conduit and thence to the air cleaner, the combination being removable from the passageway to permit addition of lubricant to the crankcase.

United States Patent [72] Inventors BertilStade Wood Dale; Edward Hoglund, Park Ridge, both of III. [21] Appl. No. 37,534 [22] Filed May 15, 1970 [45] Patented Jan. 11, 1972 [73] Assignee Mercury Metal Products, Inc.

Schaumburg, I11.

[54] DIPSTICK AND ENGINE CRANKCASE BREATHER 12 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.C1 123/1191 [51] Int. Cl..... .F02n 25/06 [50] Field of Search 123/119 B, 41.86; 33/1267 [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,421,567 7/1922 Richey et a1. 123/119B 1,760,272 5/1930 McCuen..... 123/1198 2,818,052 12/1957 Trainer 123/119B R26,422 7/1968 Stade et a1. 33/126] R 3,377,708 4/1968 Gassman et al 33/l26.7 R

2,032,800 3/1936 Haltenberger ABSTRACT: A combination dipstick and engine crankcase breather adapted to be engaged in the entrance passageway to the crankcase of an internal combustion engine and having a blade portion dipping into the liquid reservoir of the crankcase, structure comprising a pluglike assembly which includes an O-ring seal for the entrance, an annular cap adapted to engage over the outside of the entrance, a conduit extending from below the cap and having communication with the passageway and through the cap, the conduit having means for connection of a pipe between it and the air cleaner of the engine, and the cap being sealed to the conduit, communication between the interior of the passageway to the conduit while the dipstick and breather are in position so that all emissions from the crankcase will pass into the conduit and thence to the air cleaner, the combination being removable from the passageway to permit addition oflubricant to the crankcase.

PATENTEU m1 1 I972 31633558 snw 1 or 2 INVENTORS .Z w 5M2 m/afl gfmd BY 5 Q 5 64 ATTORNEYS PATENTED JAM 1 I972 SHEET 2 BF 2 J k w 9 a m oac 1 DIPSTICK AND ENGINE CRANKCASE BREATHER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention herein comprises a combination dipstick, engine crankcase breather and passageway for introduction of oil to the crankcase. It is an improvement upon the structures which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Re. No. 26,422, and preferably used some of the teachings thereof.

The modern internal combustion engine has been the object object of scrutiny by pollution engineers and among the improvements which have been suggested, and in certain cases even required by legislation, is a sealing of the crankcase of the engine and a connection from this part of the engine directly into the intake manifold through the air cleaner and carburetor. Such so-called breathers are known. They require a gas connection between the engine crankcase and the air cleaner, and heretofore, such connection has been in addition to a dipstick conduit and a passageway for introducing oil into the crankcase. To obtain a good seal, it has been essential that there be a sealing of the dipstick in its conduit, and a sealing of the cap on the passageway for adding oil.

The use of three separate sealed passageways into the crankcase is expensive and there is more likely to be a leak of the noxious fumes than if two of these passageways were eliminated.

The invention provides a simple structure on the basis of which all of the functions as described above are accomplished through the use of only one passageway into the crankcase.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, an opening is provided in the body ofthe engine, either in the block or the wall of the crankcase or the like. The opening is large enough to enable the introduction of oil into the crankcase. While the engine is being used, the opening is blocked by a combination dipstick and breather. The dipstick may be a flexible steel blade to follow the curvature of the passageway from the opening into the crankcase. It is secured to a sealing pluglike assembly which also has a conduit emerging from its upper cap. The cap is sealed as is the conduit. The end of the conduit is connected to a pipe which leads directly to the air cleaner of the engine. There is communication between the passageway and the conduit while the dipstick and breather are in place, but there is no communication from the passageway to the atmosphere unless dipstick and breather are pulled out of the entrance to the passageway, and in such case, the entrance to the passageway is available as stated for adding or introducing oil into the crankcase.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS of FIG. 2 but showing a DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Looking first at FIG. 1, the structure of the invention is intended for use with internal combustion engines, and the reference numeral designates a block or the crankcase of the engine, while the air cleaner, carburetor and intake manifold are shown diagrammatically at 12, I4 and 16. An opening is made in the block or he crankcase to provide a passageway at 18 having an entrance 20. In this embodiment, there is provided a threaded receptacle or housing 22 that is engaged into the mating threads 24 provided in the passageway 18 adjacent the entrance 20. As will be seen by reference to FIG. 4 the block 10 may have the passageway 18 without a receptacle so that the apparatus of the invention is engaged therein directly.

The combined dipstick and breather 26 of the invention comprises a pluglike assembly of prefabricated parts which are assembled by the manufacturer and furnished to the engine builder, normally. The blade 28 is preferably manufactured from spring steel and is flexible to follow the curvature of the bottom end of the passageway 18, if any. It is perforated at its upper end and this perforated end is engaged into the flattened end of a length of conduit, which may be conventional copper or steel tubing. The flattened end is shown at 30, and it also is perforated to the end that the upper end 32 of the blade 28 may be riveted in permanent securement thereto by means ofa suitable rivet or grommet 34.

The conduit body is shown at 36, and it has a crimp between its ends at 38 and other at 40 adjacent the upper end 42. Between the flattened end 30 and the crimp 38 there is an assembly which provides a plug and capping structure for the entrance 20 of the passageway 18. Hereinafter, it will be considered that even where there is a receptacle 22, the upper end 44 of the receptacle is the equivalent of the entrance to the passageway 18. The assembly comprises a pair of dished washers 46 which are connected back to back as for example by welding 50, a cylindrical spacer 52, an annular inverted cup-shaped cap 54 and an elastomer gasket 56. The washers 46 may be considered an O-ring support, and will be referred to hereinafter as such. The flared outer ends of the washers when assembled back to back form the circumferential seat for an O-ring 58 which is held thereon.

Each of the O-ring support 46, gasket 56 and cap 54 is pro vided with a central passageway of such configuration and dimension as to enable same to slide upon the section 60 of the conduit 36 between the crimp 38 and the flattened part 30. In assembling the structure, it is pointed out that the preferred method of assembly is to provide the crimp 38 first, and then to thread all of the parts onto the unflattened end and finally to secure the assembly by flattening the end 30 and grommeting the blade 28 in place. The blade 28 may already be within the end 30 prior to flattening so that frictional holding thereof is also achieved.

The opening 62 and the opening 64 in the O-ring support and cap, respectively need only be close sliding fit with the conduit section 60, but the opening 66 in the gasket 56 should be of such dimension as to provide a slidable and sealed connection, for the purposes to be explained. All such openings are assumed to be round holes in this case, but should conform to the cross-sectional configuration of the conduit, in any case.

The spacer 52 is centered by the upper dished configuration of the O-ring support 46. The O-ring support 46 has passageways 68 formed therethrough and the section 60 likewise has passageways 70 formed therein. When the dipstick and breather device 26 is tightly engaged in the receptacle 22 by reason of the proper choice of dimensions, the O- ring 58 will establish a seal to prevent emissions from passing the O-ring 46. Instead, such gases or fumes as are produced in the crankcase will pass through the openings 68, into the interior chamber 72 of the spacer, and thence will pass through the openings 70 into the bore of he conduit 36. When the device 26 is tightly engaged, the gasket 56 will be also sealingly engaged against the end 44 of the receptacle 22, thus sealing the entrance to the passageway 18 where it is engaged by the cap 54.

If desired a filter 76 such as a toroidal member of nylon felt or the like may be mounted in the chamber 72 to absorb some ofthe fumes or at least dry the same to some extent.

The upper end 42 of the conduit 36 has a flexible hose 78 frictionally engaged thereon, and for additional securement a hose clamp 80 may be also used, axially displaced from the end 42 opposite the crimp 40. The hose 78 conducts the emis sion from the crankcase to the air cleaner 12 which may have a spud 82 to enable securement of the opposite end of the hose 78. The fumes and gases are thus drawn through the carburetor 14 and into the intake manifold 16 of the engine and are burned with the fuel.

From the above, it can be seen that the user grasps the conduit 36 to pull the device 26 out of the passageway 18, At this time the level of oil in the crankcase can be gauged, and if desired, additional oil introduced through the receptacle 22. Obviously the length of blade is appropriately chosen to be long enough to reach the level of oil in the crankcase and its dipping end is suitably marked with gauge indicia (not shown). The use of the O-ring construction enables the opening 18 and/or receptacle 22 to be almost any desired size, certainly much larger than the ordinary dipstick passageway in the modern engines. This enables the device 26 to serve three functions through a single opening or passageway 18 in the engine block or crankcase.

The structure of FIG. 4 illustrates a modified form of the invention, designated 26' which is quite similar to the device 26 but differs only in several respects. Instead of having a receptacle like 22, the device 26' is designed to be engaged directly into a suitable passageway 18 formed in the engine block 10. The entrance is chamfered as shown for piloting purposes. Instead of a single O-ring support 46, there are two, the second being shown at 47. There may be an additional set of openings 70' in the section 60 in which case there will be passageways 68 in the upper O-ring support 47, but if desired, the openings 68 and 70 may be omitted to improve sealing. The cap 54' in this case has a flange 55 overlying the top of the block 10, and an elastomer gasket 57 may be adhered to the bottom of the flange to provide added sealing. A second spacer 52' is required.

In order to eliminate the need for the user handling the conduit 36, a finger support member may be provided. In FIG. 4 this is shown as an elongate body 84 of generally arcuate cross section having an upper finger engaging curl 86 and a lower right-angle bent eye 88 which has a central opening 90 fitting the section 60, and adapted to be assembled at the same time that the remainder of the device 26 is assembled. Instead of felt, the central filters may be metal wool as shown at '76. in all other respects the structures 26 and 26' are quite similar.

Obviously, modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. For example, there may be a string of more than two O-ring supports, and such supports may be used in side-byside pairs or triplets, without additional spacers.

What it is desired to secure by letters patent of the United States is;

l. A combined dipstick and engine breather comprising a pluglike assembly adapted to be engaged into the opening ofa passageway in an internal combustion engine block or crank case and having a lower blade adapted to dip into the reservoir of oil in the crankcase, a cap to be engaged over the opening, a conduit sealingly extending through said cap and having gas communication below said cap, said conduit being adapted to have an end above said cap connected to the air cleaner or the like of the engine and being open on its interior as it passes through said cap with the interior end thereof connected to said blade, and the assembly having sealing means to prevent emission from reaching the atmosphere while passing through the same.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which the interior end of the conduit is flattened and the blade is secured to said flattened end.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which there is an O-ring support structure spaced from the lower face of the cap, the portion of the conduit below the cap extending through the support structure, there being a crimp in the conduit on the exterior of the cap, a spacer between the upper surface of the O-ring support structure and the interior of the cap, and in which the bottom end of the conduit is flattened below the support structure to hole the cap, spacer and support structure in assembly, there being an O-ring on the O-ring support structure comprising at least a part of said sealing means and adapted to engage the walls of the passageway in the engine.

4. The combination of claim 3 in which there are gasket means associated with said cap for engagement with said opening as another part of said sealing means.

5. The combination of claim 4 in which said gasket means comprise a washer of elastomeric material coaxial with the cap and engaging the conduit in a sliding but sealing connection.

6. The combination of claim 3 in which there are openings in the portion of the conduit below the cap and in the O-ring support structure to permit for easy passage of emissions into the conduit from the passageway.

7. The combination of claim 3 in which there is a chamber of generally toroidal configuration formed around the conduit between it and said spacer, a filter in said chamber, and means are provided to conduct emissions from the passageway into the conduit by way of said filter.

8. ln combination, an internal combustion engine including a crankcase and an air cleaner, the crankcase having a passageway with an opening to the exterior thereof to permit introduction of oil thereto, a dipstick and engine breather assembly retained within said passageway, said assembly comprising, an oil level indicating blade extended through said passageway and into said crankcase, a cap sealingly engaged over said opening, a conduit secured at one end thereof below said cap and having its opposite end communicating with said air cleaner for gas communication between said engine and said air cleaner and means independent of said engine nd said air cleaner and means independent ofsaid cap for sealing said assembly within said passageway, said means comprising an O- ring support structure spaced from the lower face of said cap, the portion of said conduit below said cap extending through said support structure, and an O-ring on said support structure engaging the walls of said passageway.

9. The combination as claimed in claim 8 in which there is a spacer between the upper surface of said support structure and the interior of said cap, the portion of said conduit below the cap and said support structure having openings to permit passage of gas emissions into the conduit from said passageway.

10. The combination as claimed in claim 9 in which the bot tom end of the conduit is flattened below the support structure to hold the cap, spacer and support structure in assembly, said blade being secured to said flattened bottom end.

11. A dipstick and engine crankcase breather assembly for engagement into the opening of a passageway in an engine crankcase, the engine having an air cleaner and fuel intake structure, said assembly comprising:

A. a flexible oil level indicating blade adapted to pass through said passageway into the crankcase,

B. a cap to be engaged over said opening, said cap having gasket means associated therewith for engagement with said opening,

C. a conduit having one end sealingly extending through said cap and having gas communication below the cap the other end of said conduit adapted for connection with the air cleaner, said one end i. being flattened below said cap and said blade being secured to said flattened end, ii. having openings below the cap,

D. an O-ring support structure spaced from the lower face of the cap, the portion of the conduit below the cap extending through the support structure, said support structure having i. an O-ring adapted to engage the walls of said passageway, ii. openings for passage of gas emissions from said crankcase, and

E. a spacer between the upper surface of said O-ring support structure and the interior of said cap, said spacer defining a chamber formed around the conduit to confine structure also having an O-ring for engagement with the walls of said passageway, each said support structure comprising a pair of dished washers connected back to back, each pair of washers having flared outer ends forming a circumferential seat for each said O-ring.

g ggg UNITEIl STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORECTION Patent No. 3,633,558 Dated January 11, 1972 Inventor(s) BERTIL STADE and EDWARD HOGLUND It is certified that error appears in the shove -identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 1, line 9, delete "object"; Col. 1, line 73, change "he" ""I to -hhe- Column 2, I line 19, change "other" to -another; Column 2, line 64, change "he" to --the-; Column 3, line 7, change to a period (.)7 Column 3, line 75, change "hole" to hold-; and Column 4, lines 31-32 delete "of said engine nd said air cleaner and means independent".

Signed and sealed this 25th day of July 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A combined dipstick and engine breather comprising a pluglike assembly adapted to be engaged into the opening of a passageway in an internal combustion engine block or crankcase and having a lower blade adapted to dip into the reservoir of oil in the crankcase, a cap to be engaged over the opening, a conduit sealingly extending through said cap and having gas communication below said cap, said conduit being adapted to have an end above said cap connected to the air cleaner or the like of the engine and being open on its interior as it passes through said cap with the interior end thereof connected to said blade, and the assembly having sealing means to prevent emission from reaching the atmosphere while passing through the same.
 2. The combination of claim 1 in which the interior end of the conduit is flattened and the blade is secured to said flattened end.
 3. The combination of claim 1 in which there is an O-ring support structure spaced from the lower face of the cap, the portion of the conduit below the cap extending through the support structure, there being a crimp in the conduit on the exterior of the cap, a spacer between the upper surface of the O-ring support structure and the interior of the cap, and in which the bottom end of the conduit is flattened below the support structure to hole the cap, spacer and support structure in assembly, there being an O-ring on the O-ring support structure comprising at least a part of said sealing means and adapted to engage the walls of the passageway in the engine.
 4. The combination of claim 3 in which there are gasket means associated with said cap for engagement with said opening as another part of said sealing means.
 5. The combination of claim 4 in which said gasket means comprise a washer of elastomeric material coaxial with the cap and engaging the conduit in a sliding but sealing connection.
 6. The combination of claim 3 in which there are openings in the portion of the conduit below the cap and in the O-ring support structure to permit for easy passage of emissions into the conduit from the passageway.
 7. The combination of claim 3 in which there is a chamber of generally toroidal configuration formed around the conduit between it and said spacer, a filter in said chamber, and means are provided to conduct emissions from the passageway into the conduit by way of said filter.
 8. In combination, an internal combustion engine including a crankcase and an air cleaner, the crankcase having a passageway with an opening to the exterior thereof to permit introduction of oil thereto, a dipstick and engine breather assembly retained within said passageway, said assembly comprising, an oil level indicating blade extended through said passageway and into said crankcase, a cap sealingly engaged over said opening, a conduit secured at one end thereof below said cap and having its opposite end communicating with said air cleaner for gas communication between said engine and said air cleaner and means independent of said engine nd said air cleaner and means independent of said cap for sealing said assembly within said passageway, said means comprising an O-ring support structure spaced from the lower face of said cap, the portion of said conduit below said cap extending through said support structure, and an O-ring on said support structure engaging the walls of said passageway.
 9. The combination as claimed in claim 8 in which there is a spacer between the upper surface of said support structure and the interior of said cap, the portion of said conduit below the cap and said supPort structure having openings to permit passage of gas emissions into the conduit from said passageway.
 10. The combination as claimed in claim 9 in which the bottom end of the conduit is flattened below the support structure to hold the cap, spacer and support structure in assembly, said blade being secured to said flattened bottom end.
 11. A dipstick and engine crankcase breather assembly for engagement into the opening of a passageway in an engine crankcase, the engine having an air cleaner and fuel intake structure, said assembly comprising: A. a flexible oil level indicating blade adapted to pass through said passageway into the crankcase, B. a cap to be engaged over said opening, said cap having gasket means associated therewith for engagement with said opening, C. a conduit having one end sealingly extending through said cap and having gas communication below the cap the other end of said conduit adapted for connection with the air cleaner, said one end i. being flattened below said cap and said blade being secured to said flattened end, ii. having openings below the cap, D. an O-ring support structure spaced from the lower face of the cap, the portion of the conduit below the cap extending through the support structure, said support structure having i. an O-ring adapted to engage the walls of said passageway, ii. openings for passage of gas emissions from said crankcase, and E. a spacer between the upper surface of said O-ring support structure and the interior of said cap, said spacer defining a chamber formed around the conduit to confine the emissions which pass through the openings in said support structure and said conduit.
 12. An assembly as claimed in claim 11 in which there is a second O-ring support structure spaced from the lower face of the cap with the portion of the conduit below the cap extending through said second support structure, said second support structure also having an O-ring for engagement with the walls of said passageway, each said support structure comprising a pair of dished washers connected back to back, each pair of washers having flared outer ends forming a circumferential seat for each said O-ring. 